Book Corner: The Genius of Birds

You’ev heard the expressions: “bird brain”, “featherhead”. And what’s “turkey” if not a low-IQ loser?

But Jennifer Ackerman begs to differ. Throughout her easy-reading but informative book, The Genius of Birds, she shows us how birds are smarter than we ever thought. From talking parrots to seed caching jays to puzzle-solving crows, we see example of birds that fit our own definition of smart. And we also learn how birds can be intelligent in their own terms. Yet in the end, Ackerman reminds us of how little we really know: “One has only to consider the extraordinary genius packed tightly into that tiny puff of feathersto lay the mind wide open to the muysteries of a bird’s knowing.”

An entertainning read, and one that will give you whole new levels of appreciation for the true genius of birds.